The present invention relates to a torque detector, particularly to a torque detector for detecting a torque applied to a torque transmission shaft which is connected to a load such as a wheel of an automobile.
The conventional torque detector of this type is provided with a detector shaft of which one end is connected to a driving shaft of an engine and the other end is connected to the torque transmission shaft. In this torque detector, the torque applied to the torque transmission shaft is detected by detecting the distortion occurring in the above detector shaft.
The distortion of the above shaft is detected by a detecting means of a strain gauge type comprising a strain gauge of which electric resistance varies in proportion to the distortion, of a magnetic strain type comprising a magnetic strain pipe of which magnetic property varies in accordance with the distortion, or of a phase difference type which detects a phase difference between the distortion occurring at two separated points of the detector shaft.
However, the conventional torque detector having the above structure has been mainly employed in the performance test of an engine because the weight of the detector is large and the structure thereof is complex. Therefore, the conventional torque detector cannot be mounted on the automobile practically.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a torque detector which is small in size and simple enough in structure to be mounted on an automobile and by which excellent detection accuracy can be obtained.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a torque detector by which accurate torque can be detected in spite of errors in the setting position at which the detector is mounted on the automobile or the like.